Systems and methods for building a unified asset graph

ABSTRACT

Systems and methods for building a unified asset graph are disclosed. In one aspect, a method includes determining an intended state and a functional state of a plurality of evaluated architectures of an evaluating organization; generating a knowledge graph, wherein the knowledge graph includes an intended state dimension and a functional state dimension, and wherein the intended state dimension is based on the determined intended state of the plurality of evaluated architectures and the functional state dimension is based on the determined functional state of the plurality of evaluated architectures; and generating a social knowledge dimension of the knowledge graph, wherein the social dimension is based on one or more architecture nodes included in the knowledge graph, and wherein values of attribute nodes of the social knowledge dimension are at least partially based on user-generated data received by the knowledge graph.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to the following U.S. patent applications:

Patent application Ser. No. ______, filed Mar. 7, 2022, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR BUILDING AN ARCHITECTURE KNOWLEDGE GRAPH, and having attorney docket number 052227.500731;

Patent application Ser. No. ______, filed Mar. 7, 2022, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING AND REMEDIATING ARCHITECTURE RISK, and having attorney docket number 052227.500732;

Patent application Ser. No. ______, filed Mar. 7, 2022, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR DETERMINING ARCHITECTURE DRIFT, and having attorney docket number 052227.500734; and

Patent application Ser. No. ______, filed Mar. 7, 2022, entitled SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR IDENTIFYING AND REMEDIATING ARCHITECTURE DESIGN DEFECTS, and having attorney docket number 052227.500741.

The disclosure of each of the applications noted, above, is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention

Aspects are generally related to building, maintaining, and querying a unified asset graph.

2. Description of the Related Art

In order to respond to business demand, agile techniques in software development practices and design patterns such as microservices are leveraged to create a higher degree of autonomy within development teams and software components. This agility and autonomy, however, has created an influx of technology assets (e.g., software components), which, if left unmanaged, leads to duplication as well as low-quality components. As the shift to agile techniques continues, it is increasingly important to know what assets are available, especially in a distributed technology enterprise infrastructure. In addition to reducing duplicative efforts, the development community of an organization would greatly benefit from knowing what technology assets exist, their purpose, quality characteristics, and how to use them.

SUMMARY

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method for building and querying a knowledge graph, including: determining an intended state and a functional state of a plurality of evaluated architectures of an evaluating organization; generating a knowledge graph, wherein the knowledge graph includes an intended state dimension and a functional state dimension, and wherein the intended state dimension is based on the determined intended state of the plurality of evaluated architectures and the functional state dimension is based on the determined functional state of the plurality of evaluated architectures; and generating a social knowledge dimension of the knowledge graph, wherein the social dimension is based on one or more architecture nodes included in the knowledge graph, and wherein values of attribute nodes of the social knowledge dimension are at least partially based on user-generated data received by the knowledge graph.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the user-generated data is received via a user interface of the knowledge graph.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the user-generated data includes a self-identification from a user as a user of the one or more architecture nodes.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the user-generated data includes a comment regarding an evaluated architecture represented by the one or more architecture nodes.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the user-generated data includes a quality score regarding an evaluated architecture represented by the one or more architecture nodes.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, including: receiving, at a query engine, a natural language query; processing the natural language query with a natural language query processing engine; generating, as a result of the processing the natural language query with the natural language processing engine, a plurality of graph properties; querying the knowledge graph using the plurality of graph properties as parameters; and displaying the results of the querying through an interface.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, including: formatting, by the query engine, the results of the querying into a natural language format.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, wherein the natural language query is associated with a confidence score.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, including, receiving positive feedback from a submitter of the natural language query with respect to an accuracy of the results of the querying.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a method, including: raising the confidence score based on the positive feedback.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system for building and querying a knowledge graph including at least one server including a processor and a memory, wherein the at least one server is configured for operative communication on a technology infrastructure of an evaluating organization, and wherein instructions stored on the memory instruct the processor to: determine an intended state and a functional state of a plurality of evaluated architectures of an evaluating organization; generate a knowledge graph, wherein the knowledge graph includes an intended state dimension and a functional state dimension, and wherein the intended state dimension is based on the determined intended state of the plurality of evaluated architectures and the functional state dimension is based on the determined functional state of the plurality of evaluated architectures; and generate a social knowledge dimension of the knowledge graph, wherein the social dimension is based on one or more architecture nodes included in the knowledge graph, and wherein values of attribute nodes of the social knowledge dimension are at least partially based on user-generated data received by the knowledge graph.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the user-generated data is received via a user interface of the knowledge graph.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the user-generated data includes a self-identification from a user as a user of the one or more architecture nodes.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the user-generated data includes a comment regarding an evaluated architecture represented by the one or more architecture nodes.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the user-generated data includes a quality score regarding an evaluated architecture represented by the one or more architecture nodes.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein instructions stored on the memory instruct the processor to: receive, at a query engine, a natural language query; process the natural language query with a natural language query processing engine; generate, as a result of the processing the natural language query with the natural language processing engine, a plurality of graph properties; query the knowledge graph using the plurality of graph properties as parameters; and display the results of the querying through an interface.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein instructions stored on the memory instruct the processor to: format, by the query engine, the results of the querying into a natural language format.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein the natural language query is associated with a confidence score.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a system, wherein instructions stored on the memory instruct the processor to: receive positive feedback from a submitter of the natural language query with respect to an accuracy of the results of the querying.

In some aspects, the techniques described herein relate to a non-transitory computer readable storage medium, including instructions stored thereon for building, maintaining, and querying a unified asset graph, which when read and executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform steps including: determining an intended state and a functional state of a plurality of evaluated architectures of an evaluating organization; generating a knowledge graph, wherein the knowledge graph includes an intended state dimension and a functional state dimension, and wherein the intended state dimension is based on the determined intended state of the plurality of evaluated architectures and the functional state dimension is based on the determined functional state of the plurality of evaluated architectures; and generating a social knowledge dimension of the knowledge graph, wherein the social dimension is based on one or more architecture nodes included in the knowledge graph, and wherein values of attribute nodes of the social knowledge dimension are at least partially based on user-generated data received by the knowledge graph.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting network infrastructure nodes captured as corresponding architecture graph nodes in a knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting a knowledge graph generated from a network infrastructure, in accordance with aspects.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of a knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system for generating an intended state dimension of a knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart for generating a knowledge graph from standard architecture design documents, in accordance with aspects.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a system for querying and data input into an architecture/social knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects.

FIG. 8 is a logical flow of a natural language (NL) query engine, in accordance with aspects.

FIG. 9 is a logical flow for processing natural language queries against a knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a social knowledge dimension of a knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of an architecture/social knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Aspects are generally related to the building and querying of an architecture knowledge graph.

A unified asset catalog can be configured as one or more knowledge graphs. In accordance with aspects, an architecture knowledge graph can be generated based on the underlying technology assets of an organization. A secondary social knowledge graph, or graph dimension, can be generated based on the architecture knowledge graph and can allow an organization's development community to understand attributes such as who is using which technology assets, who or what team developed the asset, a quality score of the asset, etc.

An architecture knowledge graph can be generated from one or more states of an evaluated architecture. A first state can be called the intended state. The intended state represents a technological system functioning entirely as it was designed to function. A second state can be called the functional state. The functional state represents the technological system as it actually functions, e.g., in an operational or production environment.

Any technological system may be evaluated, and the determined information can be used to generate an architecture knowledge graph. That is, any software program, module, package, etc., may be evaluated for information to include in an architecture knowledge graph. Moreover, firmware, embedded code, etc., may be evaluated. In some cases (particularly when evaluating/determining the functional state of a technological system), an evaluation will take place in conjunction with any hardware that the software is designed to, or actually does, execute on, drive, monitor, enhance, etc. As used herein, an “evaluated architecture” refers to a technological system including any necessary software and hardware of the system that is evaluated for information that will be included in an architecture knowledge graph.

Once identified, an intended state and a functional state of an evaluated architecture can be structured as a knowledge graph. In accordance with aspects, a knowledge graph can be queried by personnel of an evaluating organization to determine what architectures (i.e., systems, such as software systems) exist in the organization's infrastructure and what those systems' capabilities and behaviors are. A knowledge graph is an abstraction that organizes real-world knowledge and data. A knowledge graph can integrate determined information from many different data sources and can be used to visualize and explain the determined information, particularly with respect to other information in the knowledge graph.

A knowledge graph can show and explain relationships between entities. The entities are represented in the knowledge graph as nodes and the relationship between the entities are shown as edges (visualized as connections between the nodes). Labels are used to label the edges and explain the relationship between the nodes. Additionally, knowledge graphs can be used in conjunction with machine learning (ML) in order to infer, or “predict,” previously unknown or undetermined relationships between, and attributes of, the various nodes in the knowledge graph.

A knowledge graph generated from a determined intended state and a determined functional state of an evaluated architecture can include two dimensions: an intended state dimension that represents the determined intended state of an evaluated architecture, and a functional state dimension that represents the determined functional state of the evaluated architecture. Moreover, a knowledge graph may be generated that represents the intended state dimensions and the functional state dimensions of multiple evaluated architectures. For instance, a knowledge graph can be generated that represents the intended state dimensions and the functional state dimensions of each operational software/hardware solution in an evaluating organization's technology infrastructure. In such an example, each operational software/hardware solution would constitute an evaluated architecture, as further defined herein.

In accordance with aspects, a knowledge graph as described herein can take the form of a directed acyclic graph.

The functional state of an evaluated architecture can be determined from the evaluated architecture's observed configuration and functionality. For instance, a functional state of an observed architecture can be based on the evaluated architecture's interactions within its environment (e.g., a production network environment). An exemplary process (i.e., an exemplary node identifying operation) for observing environmental interactions of an evaluated architecture includes using packet capture tools (PCAPS) to understand network flows on a production network of an evaluating organization. The packet captures can be used to determine a functional state of an evaluated architecture based on the contents of the packets and their destination and origin.

Using packet captures, a network topology can be determined based on network traffic. A determined network topology based on data packets transmitted over a network infrastructure can define network nodes based on the packets transmitted between the nodes. The identified network nodes can represent logical nodes. For instance, hardware may be shared between several evaluated architectures. Each evaluated architecture may execute on a virtual operating system (OS). While the virtual operating systems may share allocated hardware, the virtualized OS may be identified as an independent (logical) network node for evaluation purposes.

Network nodes identified through packet captures (or through other node identifying operations/techniques, described in more detail, below) can be cast as architecture graph nodes on a knowledge graph, and each graph node can represent an evaluated architecture. That is, identified network nodes, architecture graph nodes and evaluated architectures can represent a 1-1-1 ratio with each other, where each identified network node represents an architecture node on the knowledge graph, which, in turn, represents an evaluated architecture. An architecture graph node, as used herein, represents a system, program, or other logical node (i.e., an architecture) of an evaluating organization on a knowledge graph.

Network/system nodes may also be determined through various other node identifying operations/techniques. For example, internet protocol (IP) addresses and IP address maps and recorded routes may be used to identify network nodes. Other exemplary aspects include examining deployment mechanisms, records, logs, etc., in order to determine network nodes. For instance, deployment pipelines can be examined to determine what architectures have been deployed onto an evaluating organization's technology infrastructure.

Deployment mechanisms may contain data that verifies other sources of network nodes. For instance, a deployment mechanism may specify an IP address that an architecture was deployed to. The IP address, as determined via the pipeline deployment mechanism may verify a network node discovered via a packet capture operation, or vice versa. Once determined and/or verified through any suitable operation, the identified and/or verified network nodes can be cast onto the knowledge graph as corresponding architecture graph nodes.

In accordance with additional aspects, and as noted above, any suitable operation or process for identifying network nodes for inclusion as corresponding architecture graph nodes in a knowledge graph can be employed. Other exemplary node identifying operations for identifying network nodes include inspecting log files from network operating systems; inspecting/analyzing virtual machine (VM) configuration files; capturing and inspecting/analyzing log files from network routers and switches; examining architecture-as-code (AaC) documentation and/or scripts (described in more detail, below), etc.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram depicting network infrastructure nodes captured as corresponding architecture graph nodes in a knowledge graph. Network infrastructure 105 represents the technology/computer network infrastructure of an evaluating organization. Network infrastructure 105 includes node 110, node 112, and node 114. Executing on node 110 is evaluated architecture 120. Executing on node 112 is evaluated architecture 122, and executing on node 114 is evaluated architecture 124. Each of nodes 110, 112 and 114 represent a logical node configured for networked communication on network infrastructure 105. Network infrastructure 105 is configured with appropriate network communication devices such as network switches/routers (not shown), to facilitate networked communication between nodes 110, 112, and 114.

Evaluated architectures 120, 122, and 124 are software components executing on the hardware that has been (either physically or virtually) allocated to nodes 110, 112, and 114, respectively. Evaluated architectures 120, 122, and 124 each may be any software system that an evaluating organization wishes to evaluate and capture in an architecture knowledge graph—e.g., an accounting software system, a funds settlement software system, an asset trading software system, an MRP/ERP software system, a CRM software system, a bank ledger software system, etc., etc.

Architecture knowledge graph 150 is generated using data collected through node identifying operations performed on network infrastructure 105. Architecture knowledge graph 150 is depicted as a directed acyclic graph in the figures and in accordance with aspects.

Node identifying operations include any suitable technique for identifying logical network nodes on network infrastructure 105 (as further described herein). Once a node is identified through suitable node identifying operations, the node is included in architecture knowledge graph 150 as an architecture node.

With continued reference to FIG. 1 , through node identifying operations, node 110 including evaluated architecture 120 was discovered and was included in architecture knowledge graph 150 as corresponding architecture node 160. Likewise, node 112 and evaluated architecture 122 was identified and corresponding architecture node 162 was included in architecture knowledge graph 150. Similarly, node 114 and evaluated architecture 124 were identified and corresponding node 164 was included in architecture knowledge graph 150. Accordingly, architecture knowledge graph 150 is a representation, in graph form, of the logical architectures of network infrastructure 105.

A knowledge graph generated from network nodes can also include attributes about the network nodes as additional nodes in the graph. Further, edges (i.e., connections representing relationships) can be identified between the architecture nodes and the attribute nodes. Each edge connecting an attribute node to an architecture node can have a label that explains the relationship represented by the edge. In this way, a robust graphical representation of a functional state of an evaluated architecture can be represented by a knowledge graph.

Node identifying operations can also be used as attribute identifying operations, in accordance with aspects. That is, results of the techniques discussed herein for identifying network nodes and evaluated architectures can be further examined to identify functional attributes of the identified nodes. For instance, while a packet captured in a packet capture operation may be examined for an origin address and a destination address in order to identify nodes at the origin and the destination, further examination may be carried out to inspect the type of data the packet carries. Based on the origin and destination of the packet, and the type of data therein, attributes about the sending and receiving nodes can be determined.

Attributes determined based on packet inspection can include dependencies. For example, if a receiving node/evaluated architecture consistently receives a certain type of data from a source node/evaluated architecture, it can be inferred that a dependency exists on the source node/evaluated architecture. Packet capture/inspection may also reveal a particular type of data that can imply a certain data classification. These examples with respect to packet capture/inspection are not meant to be limiting, and other attributes may be determinable through the use of packet capture/inspection used as an attribute identifying operation.

Likewise, many other attribute identifying operations may be employed to determine attributes and corresponding attribute nodes for inclusion in the knowledge graph. As discussed above with respect to node identification, deployment mechanisms (e.g., deployment pipelines) can provide many attributes of corresponding nodes and evaluated architectures. For instance, a deployment mechanism may indicate what operating system and/or platform a particular evaluated architecture was deployed on. Deployment mechanisms may also provide a version number of the evaluated architecture; an internal (i.e., internal to the evaluating organization) identification number of the evaluated architecture; a hosting platform of the evaluated architecture (i.e., a data center location, number, etc.); and the like.

An inspection of repositories and source code therein may also provide many attributes of an evaluated architecture. Some attributes that may be determined through repositories and source code include the coding language that an evaluated architecture was written in; dependencies of the evaluated architecture; whether the evaluated architecture is inward facing, outward facing, or both; etc., etc.

In accordance with aspects, some node and attribute identifying operations may rely on documents that include natural language. Natural language documents can be processed with natural language processing (NLP) engines/algorithms in order to determine both architecture nodes and attribute nodes. Examples of documents/artifacts that can be processed with NLP algorithms include configuration files, property files, project object model (POM) files, VM configuration files, etc.

POM files are XML files that contain information about a project and configuration details used by software project management tools (e.g., Maven™) to build a software project. Some exemplary attributes that are recorded in POM files include source code location, build information, required software dependencies, dependency scope, packaging information, etc.

Natural language-formatted documents can offer a reliable source for node/attribute identification, because they are often organized to include a defined set of information. Further, they are often stored in known locations, and therefore can be easily accessed for processing by NLP engines/algorithms. NLP is discussed in further detail, below, with respect to determining an intended state dimension of a knowledge graph. It is contemplated, however, that NLP and the particular NLP techniques discussed herein are equally applicable to generating both a functional state dimension and an intended state dimension of a knowledge graph.

Identified attributes of architecture nodes can be added to the knowledge graph and edges can be drawn between the architecture node and its corresponding attributes. Labels can be added to the edges to define the relationship between the architecture node and the attribute node. Label values can be derived from a corresponding determined attribute. For instance, if an attribute of an evaluated architecture is “data classification,” the relationship may be a “has” relationship, and the value of the attribute may be “highly confidential.” In this example, then, the knowledge graph would represent that the evaluated architecture node has a data classification attribute, and the value of that attribute is “highly confidential”. With regards to a natural language, the relationship label can be representative of the verb, or predicate, of a sentence.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram depicting a knowledge graph generated from a network infrastructure, in accordance with aspects. Attribute identifying operations, as discussed herein, have identified attributes of node 110 and evaluated architecture 120; node 112 and evaluated architecture 122; and node 114 and evaluated architecture 124. These attributes have been included in architecture knowledge graph 150 as attribute nodes 170-179. Graph edges (i.e., connections between the architecture nodes and the attribute nodes) have also been generated and included in architecture knowledge graph 150. Graph edges are represented in FIG. 2 as lines/arrows from an architecture node to an attribute node. The depicted edges represent the relationship between an architecture node and an attribute node, in accordance with aspects.

FIG. 3 is a detailed view of architecture knowledge graph 150, in accordance with aspects. FIG. 3 shows values of attribute nodes 170-179. FIG. 3 further shows the assigned labels of the graph edges.

FIG. 3 depicts the following: attribute node 170 that has a value of “ID 001.” Attribute node 170 is related to evaluated architecture node 160, and the edge has been assigned label 180, which has a value of “has internal ID.” In accordance with aspects, and with respect to a natural language presentation of the data in a knowledge graph, labels can take the form of predicates, while architecture nodes serve a subjects and attributes as objects. Consequently, an exemplary relationship captured in architecture knowledge graph 150 can be read as, “architecture node [160] has [180] internal ID ID_001 [170].”

FIG. 3 further depicts the following attributes determined through attribute identifying operations: attribute node 171 that has a value of “non-confidential;” attribute node 172 that has a value of “Java;” attribute node 173 that has a value of “external;” attribute node 174 that has a value of “low;” attribute node 175 that has a value of “high;” attribute node 176 that has a value of “PII” (personally identifiable information); attribute node 177 that has a value of “public cloud;” attribute node 178 that has a value of “highly confidential;” and attribute 179 that has a value of “3.0.”

FIG. 3 further depicts determined relationships (edges) between the attribute nodes and the architecture nodes, and the labels assigned to each edge in the architecture knowledge graph 150. The labels are as follows: label 180 has a value of “has internal ID;” label 181 has a value of “has data classification;” label 182 has a value of “written in;” label 183 has a value of “has dependency;” label 184 has a value of “has risk rating;” label 186 has a value of “incudes;” label 187 has a value of “deployed to;” and label 179 has a value of “has version.”

While some of the figures herein depict graph edges with labels that include an object, it is contemplated that, from a natural, and English, language perspective, objects represent attributes. For instance, in the exemplary relationship depicted in FIG. 3 between architecture node 160, edge 181, and attribute node 178, “data classification” is considered an attribute of architecture node 160 (even though it is depicted as part of the edge label). The attribute “data classification” has a value of “highly confidential.” The relationship is a “has” relationship. In accordance with aspects, then, and as shown in some of the figures herein, an attribute can be shown as part of an edge label, with the attribute's value depicted in the attribute node.

As depicted in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 , architecture knowledge graph 150 shows a functional state graph dimension that represents a functional, or observed, state of evaluated architectures 120, 122, and 124 as determined through node identifying operations and attribute identifying operations. In accordance with aspects, and as noted above, an intended state dimension that represents a determined intended state of the evaluated architectures can also be generated and included in a knowledge graph.

In accordance with aspects, an intended state of an evaluated architecture can be a theoretical state in that it may be determined based on the architectural design of the evaluated technological system. For example, an intended state may be determined based on architectural diagrams, flow charts, sequence diagrams, stated/anticipated inputs, stated/anticipated outcomes, and outputs (which may be based on the anticipated inputs), stated design intentions and goals, etc. That is, the intended state can be determined by evaluating architecture design documents, documentation, and/or artifacts that may have been generated prior to development and/or provisioning of a given evaluated architecture.

Other examples of information that may be determined from such documentation include related pseudo code, anticipated dependencies, anticipated coding languages and platforms, anticipated hardware environments, known application programming interfaces (APIs) that the evaluated architecture will interact with, other known systems that the evaluated architecture will interact with, etc. This information, and other information discovered in architecture design documents can be used to determine an intended state of an evaluated architecture.

Any architectural and/or design documentation or artifacts created and/or maintained by an evaluating organization may be evaluated to determine the intended state of an evaluated architecture. Any design documentation and artifacts used by an evaluating organization to determine an intended state of an evaluated architecture is collectively referred to herein as “architecture design documentation,” or “architecture design documents.”

In some aspects, an evaluating organization may collect and organize a repository of architecture design documentation in order to facilitate ease of access to the design intentions included therein. An architecture design documentation repository may include several different types of architecture design documentation.

In some aspects, an evaluating organization may define a standard architecture design document format, which may be included in an architecture design documentation repository. A standard architecture design document format may be defined to include components of, and/or information from, many different types of architecture design documentation. That is, a standard architecture design document format may include standardized data fields or entries that describe design aspects and intentions of an evaluated architecture. The standardized data fields/entries may be included in the standard architecture design document due to their importance or relevance in understanding the intended state of an evaluated architecture.

Exemplary data/information that may be collected in a standard architecture design document includes any information that may be found in any architecture design documentation. That is, a standard architecture design document may include anticipated data inputs, outputs, and other dependencies, a specified coding language, applied design patterns, a required technology platform, required hardware, memory requirements, processing requirements, anticipated network bandwidth, and so on.

A standard architecture design document may include other information such as an identifier that identifies the project/architecture; an information classification that classifies the type of information produced and or stored; indications of whether the architecture is anticipated to be internal or external facing (or both); a repository location for the code and other components of the architecture; and other organization-specific information.

A standard design document may include details about the data that the architecture is anticipated to process, such as an anticipated data classification (e.g., non-confidential, confidential, or highly confidential), an anticipated data risk profile (e.g., low, medium, high), and/or anticipated restrictions on hosting platforms or locations.

In accordance with aspects, a standard architecture design document may be formatted as a natural-language document. A standard architecture design document formatted as a natural-language document may take advantage of natural language processing algorithms in order to determine the contents therein, and in order to employ various machine learning algorithms on the included contents in order to infer relationships and similarities between evaluated systems described in various standard architecture design documentation.

A standard architecture design document may also take the form of an architecture-as-code (AaC) declaration. The AaC concept includes capturing an intended architectural state of a software system (e.g., an evaluated architecture) in a standardized format. The format may be a natural language format, and the entries can be optimized for processing by an NLP, in accordance with aspects.

An exemplary standard architecture design document format can have entries that define attributes of a system, and the relationship between the defined attributes and the subject system. Exemplary entries can be in sentence form, and may include a subject, a predicate (or verb) and an object. Exemplary entries in a standard architecture design document may include:

-   -   System: System ABC     -   Has internal ID 00123456.     -   Is internal facing.     -   Has data classification confidential.     -   Is an internally developed application.     -   Is written in Java.     -   Uses Spring boot framework.     -   Has latency/response SLO (service level objective) of <3170 ms.     -   Has availability SLO of 98% availability.     -   Has external dependency on XYZ Platform.

The exemplary standard architecture design document entries, above, can be readily processed by an NLP engine that has been trained on the natural language format (referred to herein as “behavior driven architecture language”) of the entries, in accordance with aspects. Behavior driven architecture language includes assertions or intents about an architecture's design written in a natural language (e.g., written in English). A training file may be provided to an NLP algorithm that associates predicates/verbs/verb phrases within the file's entries as relationships. Objects within the entries can be associated with attributes and attribute definitions. The subject system (e.g., System ABC in the example) can be associated with an evaluated architecture.

An NLP engine that has been trained on the behavior driven architecture language can then process standard architecture design documents to determine the intended state of the subject architecture based on the attributes and relationships declared therein. The NLP engine may then output the determined attributes and relationships in a predetermined and machine-readable file format. Exemplary file formats may include JSON, XML, CSV, etc.

In accordance with aspects, a knowledge graph can be generated based on a machine-readable file format. A machine-readable file format can include tags or indicators that organize the output of an NLP engine to maintain the subject-verb-object structure (which corresponds to the nodes and relationships of a directed cyclic knowledge graph). For instance, if an NLP engine produces a JSON formatted file for an evaluated architecture (e.g., System ABC), including any determined attributes, values, and relationships, the JSON file can act as a JSON-formatted representation of a knowledge graph (or at least part of a knowledge graph that may include data from many similar JSON files). The contents of the JSON file can be readily formatted, and displayed as, a knowledge graph of the determined intended state of a subject system as declared in a corresponding standard architecture design document. The normalized format of design assertions extracted from architecture design documents and formatted in a machine-readable file format that is represented in a knowledge graph is referred to as behavior graph language.

In the same manner, architectures, attributes, attribute values, and relationship signifiers determined through attribute identifying operations and node identifying operations can be normalized and formatted in a machine-readable file format (i.e., can be formatted in behavior graph language). Subsequently, a functional state dimension of a knowledge graph can be generated from the machine-readable files.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart for generating a knowledge graph from standard architecture design documents, in accordance with aspects. At step 602, standard architecture design documents are generated using a behavior driven architecture language. At step 604, the standard architecture design documents are processed using an NLP engine that has been trained to process the standard architecture design documents and recognize graph relevant relationships asserted with the behavior driven architecture language in which the design document is written. At step 606, a machine-readable file is generated from the output of the NLP engine (e.g., a JSON file). At step 608, a knowledge graph is formatted based on the machine-readable file.

In other aspects, standard architecture design documents may take any suitable or desirable format. Non-ML algorithmic approaches (for example, file “scraping”) may be used to extract data from structured architecture design documents where NLP is not applicable, or in addition to NLP processing. In accordance with aspects, data scraped from architecture design documents may be later processed by an NLP algorithm or other ML algorithm. In accordance with aspects, standard architecture design documents may also take the form of design data collected in a normalized relational database, or an OLAP database, including reports therefrom.

In accordance with aspects, architecture design documentation may be processed as described herein, and an intended state dimension of a knowledge graph may be generated based on the data and information obtained from the processed architecture design documentation. Architecture nodes may be discovered through the processing of the architecture design documentation, and these nodes may be added to a knowledge graph, or a verification process may be undertook to verify that the discovered architecture nodes have already been added to an existing knowledge graph. Thereafter, intended attributes of an evaluated architecture that have been determined through the processing of architecture design documentation can be added to the knowledge graph. Edges connecting the determined intended attributes to their corresponding architecture nodes can also be added to the knowledge graph, and corresponding labels may, in turn, be added to the edges.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a system for generating an intended state dimension of a knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects. FIG. 4 depicts architecture documentation repository 410, and intent processing engine 412.

Intent processing engine 412 may include NLP engine 414. Architecture documentation repository 410 stores architecture design documents as described herein. Architecture documentation repository 410 may be any suitable data store, such as a relational data base (e.g., a relational database configured to store architecture design documents as binary large objects (BLOBs)), a flat-file architecture, a folder structure, etc.

Intent processing engine 412 is configured to access architecture documentation repository 410 and process the architecture design documents therein. Intent processing engine 412 may include NLP engine 414, which, in turn, may include NLP processing algorithms. Intent processing engine 412 may further include other ML algorithms, or non-ML processing algorithms configured to process the architecture design documents, as described in further detail herein.

With continued reference to FIG. 4 , shown is architecture knowledge graph 150. Architecture knowledge graph 150 is shown as including the determined functional state dimension (as described with respect to FIGS. 1-3 , above), in accordance with aspects. It is contemplated, however, that a determined functional state dimension need not be previously determined or included in architecture knowledge graph 150 in order to determine an intended state and include that state as an intended state dimension in the knowledge graph. Architecture knowledge graph 150 is depicted as having an intended state dimension included. In accordance with aspects, the intended state dimension, including intended attributes of architecture attributes 160, 162, and 164 have been determined by intent processing engine 412 based on architecture design documentation accessed from architecture documentation repository 410.

The intended state dimension that has been included in architecture knowledge graph 150 is shown in broken lines, to help distinguish it from the functional state dimension (that is shown in solid lines) and from the architecture node (shown in solid lines, and shaded). Accordingly, as shown in architecture knowledge graph 150 as depicted in FIG. 4 , the determined intended state dimension includes intended attribute node 190, intended attribute node 191, intended attribute node 194, intended attribute node 195, intended attribute node 197 and intended attribute node 198. The intended state dimension further includes corresponding edges indicating relationships with corresponding architecture nodes.

FIG. 5 is a detailed view of a knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects. FIG. 5 depicts a detailed view of architecture knowledge graph 150, including both an intended state dimension and a functional state dimension. The intended state dimension is shown in broken lines and the functional state dimension is shown in solid lines. The architecture nodes are shown in solid lines and are shaded.

In FIG. 5 , the determined intended attributes of architecture node 160 include intended attribute node 190 that has a value of “ID 001;” intended attribute node 195 that has a value of “medium;” intended attribute node 197 that has a value of “private cloud;” and intended attribute node 198 that has a value of “confidential.” Likewise, intended attributes nodes of architecture node 164 have been determined and include intended attribute node 191 that has a value of “non-confidential;” and intended attribute node 194 that has a value of “low.” Edges corresponding to the determined intended attribute nodes have also been determined and included in architecture knowledge graph 150.

Because of space constraints of FIG. 5 , the edges of the intended state dimension are not shown with labels. However, the edges of the intended state dimension are assigned the same label as their corresponding functional state attributes. That is, the edge connecting intended attribute node 190 has been assigned label 180 (i.e., with a value of “has internal ID”); the edge connecting intended attribute node 191 has been assigned label 181; the edge connecting intended attribute node 194 has been assigned label 184; the edge connecting intended attribute node 195 has been assigned label 184; the edge connecting intended attribute node 197 has been assigned label 187; and the edge connecting intended attribute node 190 has been assigned label 181. Due to space constraints of FIG. 5 , no intended attribute nodes have been shown for architecture node 162, however, it is contemplated that the determining processes as described herein would have determined intended attribute nodes and corresponding edges and would have included them in architecture knowledge graph 150.

In accordance with aspects, an architecture knowledge graph can be generated based on an intended state dimension of a knowledge graph, a functional state dimension of a knowledge graph, or both an intended state dimension of a knowledge graph, and a functional state dimension of a knowledge graph. That is, an architecture knowledge graph can include representations of all architecture nodes, and intended attributes, functional attributes, relationships, etc. (i.e., all properties) of each architecture node determined through all identifying operations performed on an evaluating organization's technology infrastructure (as discussed in detail, above).

The use of standard design documents allows for continuous updating of the documents throughout an evaluated architecture's lifecycle and, in turn, continuous updating of an architecture knowledge graph with evergreen design intent information. Updated design intent information gleaned from continually updated standard design documentation can be used to continually update an intended state dimension of a knowledge graph. Likewise, continuing node and attribute identifying operations on an evaluating organization's technology infrastructure along with updates to the architecture knowledge graph when changes are determined, maintain a fresh functional state dimension of the knowledge graph.

In accordance with aspects, a social knowledge graph can be generated based on an evaluating organization's architecture knowledge graph. A social knowledge graph can include architecture nodes from the architecture knowledge graph. As in the architecture knowledge graph, these nodes can represent technology assets, such as software assets, that are available to the development community of an evaluating organization.

In accordance with aspects, a social knowledge graph can be a separate graph based on an organization's architecture knowledge graph, or the social knowledge graph component can be another dimension in the organization's architecture/social knowledge graph. Regardless of format, architecture nodes discovered through node identifying operations represent technology assets available to the development community and about which the development community may have questions. A social knowledge dimension of an asset catalog (e.g., in graph form) can be used to provide user-generated data based on user experience with evaluated architectures represented in a graph.

Attribute nodes of a social knowledge graph can include attributes that describe the usability and accessibility of a technology asset. These may include such attributes as where the asset exists; who (within the development community) owns the asset; how to contact the owner of the asset; what aggregates (clusters of domain objects) the asset supports; what aggregates the asset implements; what dependencies the asset has; etc. A social knowledge graph can also include a quality score or rank of the asset. The quality score can be based on user feedback. The score can be derived based on customer feedback (e.g., sentiment analysis scoring) or business feedback (i.e., how well the asset performs; a return on investment (ROI) assessment), etc.

Attributes of a social knowledge graph can overlap those of an architecture knowledge graph. For instance, some of the attributes that may be of interest to the developer community of an evaluating organization can be captured through attribute identifying operations as described, above. Another example of an attribute identifying operation that can produce attributes for a social dimension of a social knowledge graph includes interrogating POM files to determine what software libraries an asset uses. In accordance with aspects, attributes can include software class-level identification and information. Source code annotations (e.g., comments) can be interrogated to determine a software class and the class's purpose. These attributes may be determined through the node identifying operations described above, including processing the noted documents using the NLP techniques described above.

FIG. 10 is a block diagram of a social knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects. FIG. 10 includes social knowledge graph 700, which further includes architecture node 702. Architecture node 702 may have been discovered and added to the knowledge graph through node identifying operations as described, above. Social knowledge graph 700 also includes attribute nodes 710, 711, 712, and 715. Further, social knowledge graph 700 includes graph edges that describe the relationship of the various attribute nodes to the architecture node 702. For instance, architecture node 702 includes the “has” edge label 742, an “owner” attribute, and an attribute value of “J. Doe.” Architecture node 702 additionally includes a “has” label 740, an attribute of “quality score,” and an attribute value of “4.5.”

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of a knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects. Architecture/social knowledge graph 750 is a knowledge graph that includes dimensions of an architecture knowledge graph and a social knowledge graph. FIG. 11 includes the social knowledge graph depicted in FIG. 10 , along with other architecture nodes and their corresponding edge relationships and attribute nodes.

In FIG. 11 , the social knowledge graph dimension is depicted having broken lines, and the architecture dimensions (intended and functional state dimensions) are depicted in solid lines. It is contemplated, however, that the bounds of a social knowledge graph can overlap those of an architecture knowledge graph. And, while a social knowledge graph can be generated at least partially from user input, and an architecture knowledge graph can be primarily generated from node and attribute identifying operations, all nodes and edges of an architecture/social knowledge graph can be queried, and the information used to maintain a fresh and highly available asset catalog for a development community.

User input and feedback are a fundamental source of data in a social knowledge graph. A robust interface to the social knowledge graph with the ability to query the graph and receive and interpret data provided in response to a query can ensure an active user base from an evaluating organization's developer community. An interface to a social knowledge graph can include functionality that allows for data input by users into the graph, and a query engine to allow users to retrieve information from the graph. Organizations can use graph querying functions to efficiently retrieve accurate and up-to-date information about usability and accessibility of an evaluated architecture.

A graph user interface can allow users to input information about an evaluated architecture into the graph. In some aspects, a graph user interface can prompt a user to input information into a social knowledge graph, such as a quality ranking or score based on the user's experience with the evaluated architecture. Information such as usage notes, comments, and other feedback can also be received by the social knowledge graph via an interface and be included in the social knowledge graph as graph properties (e.g., values of attribute nodes of the social knowledge graph).

In accordance with aspects, an architecture/social knowledge graph can be queried to access the information stored in the architecture/social knowledge graph. A query engine may be provided as part of the architecture/social knowledge graph. In some aspects, the architecture/social knowledge graph can publish an application programming interface (API) that allows a query engine, to pass user-generated query parameters to the architecture/social knowledge graph and allows the knowledge graph to return data that match the query parameters to the query engine. Moreover, an API may allow an interface to pass user-generated data into the graph as attribute values or other data. The user-generated data may be solicited (as in the case of a score or ranking of an asset), or unsolicited (as in, e.g., an asset owner updating an attribute value in the graph).

A query engine may be configured as a natural language query engine that accepts queries formatted in a natural language format. In aspects, the query engine may use the same NLP logic as described herein with respect to NLP engine 414 of FIG. 4 . That is, the query engine can accept queries formatted as sentences, and be trained to determine the subject, predicate (verb), and object of the sentence query, and to pass these determined sentence parts as parameters to the knowledge graph. The knowledge graph can then retrieve a series of nodes and edges that form an answer to the query question. The retrieved series of nodes and edges can then be passed back to the query engine for consumption by the user. In some aspects, the query engine can format the returned data in a natural language (e.g., a sentence) format.

FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a system for querying and data input into an architecture/social knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects. FIG. 7 includes architecture/social knowledge graph 750. Architecture/social knowledge graph 750 exposes query API 752. Graph interface 703 and natural language (NL) query engine 705 interfaces with query API 752 and receives queries from NL query engine 705 and user-generated data from graph interface 703. End users can interface with graph interface 703 and NL query engine 705 to submit queries and data to the graph, and consume the data returned from architecture/social knowledge graph 750 via interface 703/NL query engine 705.

FIG. 8 is a logical flow of a natural language (NL) query engine, in accordance with aspects. At step 802, a user interfaces with the NL query engine and passes a natural language query to the NL query engine. An exemplary NL query could be a question in sentence form, such as, “How many applications are running on public cloud platforms?”

At step 804, the NL query engine can process the received NL query with natural language processing to form an appropriate query. For instance, the NL query engine can process the received sentence and generate parameters from the sentence that can be used to search the graph. In accordance with aspects, an NLP engine such as that described herein with respect to building an architecture/social knowledge graph can be used to process the query. Advantages to using the same, or a similar, NLP engine at the NL query engine as that used to build the graph, is that a same or similar NLP engine will have the benefit of training received to build the graph. For example, the NLP engine may have been trained extensively on behavior driven architecture language, as described herein.

At step 806, the NL query engine can pass the query parameters to the architecture/social knowledge graph, and the architecture/social knowledge graph can retrieve a series of graph properties that match the parameters. In accordance with aspects, the NL query engine may be trained to relate or associate the verb phrase “are running” from the example NL query (above) to the “deployment” attribute. That is, the NL query engine may determine that a “deployed to” parameter is an appropriate attribute query parameter with which to search the knowledge graph. Further, the NL query engine may determine, through NLP processing of the exemplary NL query, that a value of the “deployed to” attribute should be “public cloud.” Accordingly, the NL query engine can search the architecture/social knowledge graph for a series of architecture nodes that have a “deployed to” edge/attribute with a value of “public cloud.” Further, based on the NL query phrase “how many,” the NL query engine can return the count (e.g., in SQL, “COUNT”) of nodes that fit these criteria.

At step 808 the NL query engine can format the retrieved series of nodes and edges into a natural language response and, at step 810, can present the natural language response to an end user. An exemplary response by the NL query engine to the example NL query may be, “There are 30 applications running on public cloud platforms.”

In accordance with aspects, in addition to a search of the knowledge graph to identify nodes and edges that are associated with determined query parameters, machine learning models may be used to enhance the data returned by the query engine. Machine learning (ML) models such as neural networks (e.g., any variant of graph neural networks, such as a graph convolutional network (GCN), a graph attention network (GAT), a graph recurrent network (GRN), etc.) may be used to learn the dependencies of an architecture/social knowledge graph. That is, appropriate ML models can essentially learn the “shape” of the graph, and of the architecture nodes and their attributes and relations within the graph to enhance the response to queries carried out against an architecture/social knowledge graph.

In order to enhance query results, ML models applied to the architecture/social knowledge graph may be used to format a received query into a graph shape or pattern (referred to herein as a “query graph”) and then match the pattern determined from the query to similar shapes within the architecture/social knowledge graph. This can be especially beneficial when processing complex or novel queries, the responses to which may not be readily identifiable through property searches of the graph.

In accordance with aspects, each response to a user query processed using an ML model may include a confidence score. The confidence score may be based on a number of times similar queries have been submitted and answered, and on user feedback as to the accuracy (or perceived accuracy) of the data received in response to the query. Feedback may be gathered in any suitable manner. In one aspect, the user is asked directly to provide feedback on the perceived accuracy of the query results. In other aspects user feedback can be gathered through social engineering or other indirect ways.

A confidence score for an ML model used in a query engine can be determined based on the number of times a similar question/query has been submitted, processed, and results returned, and further on user feedback based on the returned results. For example, if a novel query is submitted, the ML model provides results, and the submitting user gives favorable feedback to the ML model, the confidence score for that query and similar queries may go up. However, additional positive feedback from other submitting users may be needed to achieve a high level of confidence and, therefore a high confidence score for the submitted query.

High confidence scores can be used as training input to the ML models processing the queries. With each affirmation or positive feedback given, the ML model can be made more accurate because more previously unobserved relationships have been verified through user input.

FIG. 9 is a logical flow for processing natural language queries against an architecture/social knowledge graph, in accordance with aspects. At step 902, a natural language query can be passed to a NL query engine by an end user via an interface to the NL query engine. At step 904, the NL query engine can process the NL query and generate query parameters with which to query the architecture/social knowledge graph (e.g., as described above with reference to FIG. 8 ).

At step 906, an ML model (e.g., a graph neural network model) can process the generated parameters to produce a graph of the query parameters. At step 908, the NL query engine can search the architecture/social knowledge graph for a similar shape or pattern as the graph produced from the query parameters by the ML model. At step 910, graph properties from the architecture/social knowledge graph that are determined to form a similar pattern as the graph produced from the query parameters can be returned from the graph. At step 912, the NL query engine can use NLP to format the returned graph properties into a natural language response to the natural language query.

Hereinafter, general aspects of implementation of the systems and methods of the invention will be described.

The system of the invention or portions of the system of the invention may be in the form of a “processing machine,” such as a general-purpose computer, for example. As used herein, the term “processing machine” is to be understood to include at least one processor that uses at least one memory. The at least one memory stores a set of instructions. The instructions may be either permanently or temporarily stored in the memory or memories of the processing machine. The processor executes the instructions that are stored in the memory or memories in order to process data. The set of instructions may include various instructions that perform a particular task or tasks, such as those tasks described above. Such a set of instructions for performing a particular task may be characterized as a program, software program, or simply software.

In one embodiment, the processing machine may be a specialized processor.

As noted above, the processing machine executes the instructions that are stored in the memory or memories to process data. This processing of data may be in response to commands by a user or users of the processing machine, in response to previous processing, in response to a request by another processing machine and/or any other input, for example.

As noted above, the processing machine used to implement the invention may be a general-purpose computer. However, the processing machine described above may also utilize any of a wide variety of other technologies including a special purpose computer, a computer system including, for example, a microcomputer, mini-computer or mainframe, a programmed microprocessor, a micro-controller, a peripheral integrated circuit element, a CSIC (Customer Specific Integrated Circuit) or ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or other integrated circuit, a logic circuit, a digital signal processor, a programmable logic device such as a FPGA, PLD, PLA or PAL, or any other device or arrangement of devices that is capable of implementing the steps of the processes of the invention.

The processing machine used to implement the invention may utilize a suitable operating system. Thus, embodiments of the invention may include a processing machine running the iOS operating system, the OS X operating system, the Android operating system, the Microsoft Windows™ operating systems, the Unix operating system, the Linux operating system, the Xenix operating system, the IBM AIX™ operating system, the Hewlett-Packard UX™ operating system, the Novell Netware™ operating system, the Sun Microsystems Solaris™ operating system, the OS/2™ operating system, the BeOS™ operating system, the Macintosh operating system, the Apache operating system, an OpenStep™ operating system or another operating system or platform.

It is appreciated that in order to practice the method of the invention as described above, it is not necessary that the processors and/or the memories of the processing machine be physically located in the same geographical place. That is, each of the processors and the memories used by the processing machine may be located in geographically distinct locations and connected so as to communicate in any suitable manner. Additionally, it is appreciated that each of the processor and/or the memory may be composed of different physical pieces of equipment. Accordingly, it is not necessary that the processor be one single piece of equipment in one location and that the memory be another single piece of equipment in another location. That is, it is contemplated that the processor may be two pieces of equipment in two different physical locations. The two distinct pieces of equipment may be connected in any suitable manner. Additionally, the memory may include two or more portions of memory in two or more physical locations.

To explain further, processing, as described above, is performed by various components and various memories. However, it is appreciated that the processing performed by two distinct components as described above may, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, be performed by a single component. Further, the processing performed by one distinct component as described above may be performed by two distinct components. In a similar manner, the memory storage performed by two distinct memory portions as described above may, in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, be performed by a single memory portion. Further, the memory storage performed by one distinct memory portion as described above may be performed by two memory portions.

Further, various technologies may be used to provide communication between the various processors and/or memories, as well as to allow the processors and/or the memories of the invention to communicate with any other entity; i.e., so as to obtain further instructions or to access and use remote memory stores, for example. Such technologies used to provide such communication might include a network, the Internet, Intranet, Extranet, LAN, an Ethernet, wireless communication via cell tower or satellite, or any client server system that provides communication, for example. Such communications technologies may use any suitable protocol such as TCP/IP, UDP, or OSI, for example.

As described above, a set of instructions may be used in the processing of the invention. The set of instructions may be in the form of a program or software. The software may be in the form of system software or application software, for example. The software might also be in the form of a collection of separate programs, a program module within a larger program, or a portion of a program module, for example. The software used might also include modular programming in the form of object-oriented programming. The software tells the processing machine what to do with the data being processed.

Further, it is appreciated that the instructions or set of instructions used in the implementation and operation of the invention may be in a suitable form such that the processing machine may read the instructions. For example, the instructions that form a program may be in the form of a suitable programming language, which is converted to machine language or object code to allow the processor or processors to read the instructions. That is, written lines of programming code or source code, in a particular programming language, are converted to machine language using a compiler, assembler or interpreter. The machine language is binary coded machine instructions that are specific to a particular type of processing machine, i.e., to a particular type of computer, for example. The computer understands the machine language.

Any suitable programming language may be used in accordance with the various embodiments of the invention. Illustratively, the programming language used may include assembly language, Ada, APL, Basic, C, C++, COBOL, dBase, Forth, Fortran, Java, Modula-2, Pascal, Prolog, REXX, Visual Basic, and/or JavaScript, for example. Further, it is not necessary that a single type of instruction or single programming language be utilized in conjunction with the operation of the system and method of the invention. Rather, any number of different programming languages may be utilized as is necessary and/or desirable.

Also, the instructions and/or data used in the practice of the invention may utilize any compression or encryption technique or algorithm, as may be desired. An encryption module might be used to encrypt data. Further, files or other data may be decrypted using a suitable decryption module, for example.

As described above, the invention may illustratively be embodied in the form of a processing machine, including a computer or computer system, for example, that includes at least one memory. It is to be appreciated that the set of instructions, i.e., the software for example, that enables the computer operating system to perform the operations described above may be contained on any of a wide variety of media or medium, as desired. Further, the data that is processed by the set of instructions might also be contained on any of a wide variety of media or medium. That is, the particular medium, i.e., the memory in the processing machine, utilized to hold the set of instructions and/or the data used in the invention may take on any of a variety of physical forms or transmissions, for example. Illustratively, the medium may be in the form of paper, paper transparencies, a compact disk, a DVD, an integrated circuit, a hard disk, a floppy disk, an optical disk, a magnetic tape, a RAM, a ROM, a PROM, an EPROM, a wire, a cable, a fiber, a communications channel, a satellite transmission, a memory card, a SIM card, or other remote transmission, as well as any other medium or source of data that may be read by the processors of the invention.

Further, the memory or memories used in the processing machine that implements the invention may be in any of a wide variety of forms to allow the memory to hold instructions, data, or other information, as is desired. Thus, the memory might be in the form of a database to hold data. The database might use any desired arrangement of files such as a flat file arrangement or a relational database arrangement, for example.

In the system and method of the invention, a variety of “user interfaces” may be utilized to allow a user to interface with the processing machine or machines that are used to implement the invention. As used herein, a user interface includes any hardware, software, or combination of hardware and software used by the processing machine that allows a user to interact with the processing machine. A user interface may be in the form of a dialogue screen for example. A user interface may also include any of a mouse, touch screen, keyboard, keypad, voice reader, voice recognizer, dialogue screen, menu box, list, checkbox, toggle switch, a pushbutton or any other device that allows a user to receive information regarding the operation of the processing machine as it processes a set of instructions and/or provides the processing machine with information. Accordingly, the user interface is any device that provides communication between a user and a processing machine. The information provided by the user to the processing machine through the user interface may be in the form of a command, a selection of data, or some other input, for example.

As discussed above, a user interface is utilized by the processing machine that performs a set of instructions such that the processing machine processes data for a user. The user interface is typically used by the processing machine for interacting with a user either to convey information or receive information from the user. However, it should be appreciated that in accordance with some embodiments of the system and method of the invention, it is not necessary that a human user actually interact with a user interface used by the processing machine of the invention. Rather, it is also contemplated that the user interface of the invention might interact, i.e., convey and receive information, with another processing machine, rather than a human user. Accordingly, the other processing machine might be characterized as a user. Further, it is contemplated that a user interface utilized in the system and method of the invention may interact partially with another processing machine or processing machines, while also interacting partially with a human user.

It will be readily understood by those persons skilled in the art that the present invention is susceptible to broad utility and application. Many embodiments and adaptations of the present invention other than those herein described, as well as many variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be apparent from or reasonably suggested by the present invention and foregoing description thereof, without departing from the substance or scope of the invention.

Accordingly, while the present invention has been described here in detail in relation to its exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that this disclosure is only illustrative and exemplary of the present invention and is made to provide an enabling disclosure of the invention. Accordingly, the foregoing disclosure is not intended to be construed or to limit the present invention or otherwise to exclude any other such embodiments, adaptations, variations, modifications, or equivalent arrangements. 

1. A method for building and querying a knowledge graph, comprising: determining an intended state and a functional state of a plurality of evaluated architectures of an evaluating organization; generating a knowledge graph, wherein the knowledge graph includes an intended state dimension and a functional state dimension, and wherein the intended state dimension is based on the determined intended state of the plurality of evaluated architectures and the functional state dimension is based on the determined functional state of the plurality of evaluated architectures; and generating a social knowledge dimension of the knowledge graph, wherein the social dimension is based on one or more architecture nodes included in the knowledge graph, and wherein values of attribute nodes of the social knowledge dimension are at least partially based on user-generated data received by the knowledge graph.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the user-generated data is received via a user interface of the knowledge graph.
 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the user-generated data includes a self-identification from a user as a user of the one or more architecture nodes.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the user-generated data includes a comment regarding an evaluated architecture represented by the one or more architecture nodes.
 5. The method of claim 2, wherein the user-generated data includes a quality score regarding an evaluated architecture represented by the one or more architecture nodes.
 6. The method of claim 1, comprising: receiving, at a query engine, a natural language query; processing the natural language query with a natural language query processing engine; generating, as a result of the processing the natural language query with the natural language processing engine, a plurality of graph properties; querying the knowledge graph using the plurality of graph properties as parameters; and displaying the results of the querying through an interface.
 7. The method of claim 6, comprising: formatting, by the query engine, the results of the querying into a natural language format.
 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the natural language query is associated with a confidence score.
 9. The method of claim 8, comprising, receiving positive feedback from a submitter of the natural language query with respect to an accuracy of the results of the querying.
 10. The method of claim 9, comprising: raising the confidence score based on the positive feedback.
 11. A system for building and querying a knowledge graph comprising at least one server including a processor and a memory, wherein the at least one server is configured for operative communication on a technology infrastructure of an evaluating organization, and wherein instructions stored on the memory instruct the processor to: determine an intended state and a functional state of a plurality of evaluated architectures of an evaluating organization; generate a knowledge graph, wherein the knowledge graph includes an intended state dimension and a functional state dimension, and wherein the intended state dimension is based on the determined intended state of the plurality of evaluated architectures and the functional state dimension is based on the determined functional state of the plurality of evaluated architectures; and generate a social knowledge dimension of the knowledge graph, wherein the social dimension is based on one or more architecture nodes included in the knowledge graph, and wherein values of attribute nodes of the social knowledge dimension are at least partially based on user-generated data received by the knowledge graph.
 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the user-generated data is received via a user interface of the knowledge graph.
 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the user-generated data includes a self-identification from a user as a user of the one or more architecture nodes.
 14. The system of claim 12, wherein the user-generated data includes a comment regarding an evaluated architecture represented by the one or more architecture nodes.
 15. The system of claim 12, wherein the user-generated data includes a quality score regarding an evaluated architecture represented by the one or more architecture nodes.
 16. The system of claim 11, wherein instructions stored on the memory instruct the processor to: receive, at a query engine, a natural language query; process the natural language query with a natural language query processing engine; generate, as a result of the processing the natural language query with the natural language processing engine, a plurality of graph properties; query the knowledge graph using the plurality of graph properties as parameters; and display the results of the querying through an interface.
 17. The system of claim 16, wherein instructions stored on the memory instruct the processor to: format, by the query engine, the results of the querying into a natural language format.
 18. The system of claim 17, wherein the natural language query is associated with a confidence score.
 19. The system of claim 18, wherein instructions stored on the memory instruct the processor to: receive positive feedback from a submitter of the natural language query with respect to an accuracy of the results of the querying.
 20. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium, including instructions stored thereon for building, maintaining, and querying a unified asset graph, which when read and executed by one or more computers cause the one or more computers to perform steps comprising: determining an intended state and a functional state of a plurality of evaluated architectures of an evaluating organization; generating a knowledge graph, wherein the knowledge graph includes an intended state dimension and a functional state dimension, and wherein the intended state dimension is based on the determined intended state of the plurality of evaluated architectures and the functional state dimension is based on the determined functional state of the plurality of evaluated architectures; and generating a social knowledge dimension of the knowledge graph, wherein the social dimension is based on one or more architecture nodes included in the knowledge graph, and wherein values of attribute nodes of the social knowledge dimension are at least partially based on user-generated data received by the knowledge graph. 